Ron Centanni, of Ponchatoula LA, provided these pictures of Delta Shipbuilding Co.'s work during World War II. His father, Rosario (Roy) J. Centanni, worked at the shipyard and is shown here (second row, second from left with plaid shirt) with fellow workers in December 1944. Ron is unable to identify any other men in the photo.

World War II broke out in New Orleans during Maestri’s administration. New Orleans’s shipyards were quickly expanded-the Delta Shipyards turned out the first 1o,500-ton ship, the Wm. C. C. Claiborne, less than four months after Pearl Harbor-and by May, 1942, Andrew Jackson Higgins ha gathered a force of more than forty thousand workers to turn out PT boats and landing craft for the Navy. Meanwhile, the realities of the conflict were vividly brought home to New Orleanians: thirteen ships-some of them from New Orleans-were sunk in -the Gulf of Mexico by the end of May, and German submarines lurked not far off the mouth of the Mississippi. Rationing of meat and other foods, rationing of gasoline, scrap drives, practice blackouts, recapped tires, air-raid-wardens’ meetings, and women streetcar operators soon became the order of the day. Mardi Gras festivities were canceled for the duration, and New Orleanians set about the grim business of producing more, shipping more, and doing with less. A brand new streamlined Panama Limited,  crack Chicago-New Orleans train of the Illinois CentraI Railroad began operations during this time.

The surrender of Germany came on May 7, 1945, and New Orleanians celebrated, “though not as noisily as in 1918,” remarked the Times-Picayune. Business came to a standstill, and streetcars were routed off Canal Street. Whistles and horns were blown, “people yelled, sang and cried in happiness,” and some five thousand marchers carrying Japanese lanterns paraded that night. The casualties for this “quiet” celebration were reported by the police as about a hundred arrests for drunkenness, nine shot, thirteen stabbed, five fractured skulls, and one person dead.

The surrender of the Japanese on September 2, 1945, brought only a mild reaction from the people -except the-members of the Bourbon Street -Chinese colony, who celebrated noisily I by setting off $500 worth of firecrackers by special permission of the police, and by burning a’ effigy of Tojo.

To learn more about how significant New Orleans was in World War II you must visit the The National World War II Museum in the warehouse district. It is an amazing time capsula to our American History during this time period. They have recently added a 4D theater to help bring alive this magnificant history. I recommend reading the Hotel Monteleone’s review of The National World War II Museum in New Orleans for more information.

The main entrance to the Metairie Race Course. In 1853, the Metairie Jockey Club was founded. This exclusive organization took over the management of the track, built a massive grandstand, and soon the Metairie course became a shrine for the outstanding’ thoroughbreds of the day, as well as a mecca for horsemen from all over the United States. The ten years before the Civil War was a decade forming one of the most glorious pages in the annals of American turf, and in this period Metairie attained its full glory. Crowds exceeding twenty thousand filled the stands and lined the rails. From Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper,  December 18, 1869.

The racer Lexington, who provided some of the best-remembered races at the Metairie track in the thrilling Lexington-Lecompte contests in 1854 and 1855. Lecompte, foaled ana reared in Louisiana, won the first contest on April 8, 1854. The races were for four miles, and Lecompte, finishing in 7:26, bettered the record time of Fashion at the Long Island track in 1842. On April 2, 1855, Lexington, running against time, ran the four miles in 7:19%, bettering Lecompte’s record by 6 1/4 seconds. In a race with Lecompte on April 14, Lexington won easily in 7 :23%, and this contest probably aroused as much interest at the time as the famous steamboat race between the Rob’t E. Lee and the Natchez in 1870.

Life on the Metairie-The Metairie Race Course, a painting by Victor Pierson and Theodore S. Moise, 1867. Among the sixty personalities in this painting for the Metairie Jockey Club is General P. G. T. Beauregard. The Metairie track had closed for the duration of the Civil War, reopening in 1866. But it was not the same Metairie. The old Metairie Jockey Club had disintegrated, and Reconstruction troubles and quarrels within the ranks of management forced the owners to sell. In 1872, a group of businessmen bought the track and converted the site into the Metairie Cemetery. which would in time become one of the outstanding burial places in the United States. Courtesy Fair Grounds Corporation

In 1872, the Louisiana Jockey Club, a new group, took over the old Creole Race Course (the present Fair Grounds that got its name from the fairs the Mechanics and Agricultural Association held there after the war). The Louisiana Jockey Club also bought the adjoining Luling mansion on Esplanade to serve as a clubhouse, shown here, and it is still standing. The estate with 500-foot frontage and a depth of 2.500 feet with its flower gardens and orchards was one of the most impressive in the city. The organization built a new grandstand and started operations with a six-day inaugural race meet in April, 1872. From Jewell’s Crescent City Illustrated, 1873

Spring meeting of the Louisiana Jockey Club, sketch above by Ph. G. Cusachs. Limiting its membership to four hundred, the club included the city’s wealthiest and most prominent citizens. The elite gathered at the Fair Grounds for the races and also for concerts, drills, tournaments, and fetes champetres. From The New York Daily Graphic, April 24, 1874

Ladies’ Day at the races. A special section of the stands was designated the “Beauty Corner” and was reserved exclusively for the fair sex. The Fair Grounds track had a checkered history. A new jockey club was fanned in 1880; another, the Crescent City Jockey Club, was founded in 1892, which ran the Fair Grounds until 1908; and somewhere along the line the Luling mansion-clubhouse was lost. In 1905, competition in the form of the City Park racecourse developed with the result that there was literally too much racing. In 1908, the Louisiana Legislature abolished the sport.

Finish of handicap, Crescent City Jockey Club, 1906. By 1915, racing was again legal, and the Fair Grounds reopened under the auspices of the Business Men’s Racing Association. In 1918, the grandstand burned to the ground, and it was rebuilt in the almost miraculous time of about seventy-two hours as to be ready for the season’s opening on New Year’s Day. Changes in management took place again in 1926, in 1934, and in 1940, when the highly successful Fair ,Grounds Corporation was organized. The Fair Grounds and horse racing are very much part of the New Orleans scene and have been for three quarters of a century.

For a current review of the New Orleans Fair Grounds today read the Hotel Monteleone’s attraction listing.

If you are visiting New Orleans and you are tired of following the yellow brick road of tourism and you really want to dive into the culture here then how about a cooking class. This isn’t like cooking in the cafeteria, this is a cooking extravaganza. You will not only get to learn how fun and easy it is to cook like a cajun or creole chef but you will get to eat and eat and eat for less than the price of an entree. The school is called the New Orleans School of Cooking (524 St. Louis St., 504-525-2665) and it is located in the heart of the French Quarter. This school has been around for 25 years and holds three-hour or two-hour classes daily in a renovated 1830’s -era molasses warehouse, as well as hosting private classes for groups of 25 or more.

It wouldn’t be New Orleans without the food and what customers love about the New Orleans School of Cooking is that you really learn how to cook New Orleans style food. What a wonderful gift to take home with you. You will be able to throw a New Orleans party at your home with an entire cajun/creole spread to impress your guests with. Anne Gormly has, and after a lunchtime class at the New Orleans School of Cooking, the Georgia College and State University vice president was able to whip up a menu of Cajun dishes for a charity event when she returned home.

“We couldn’t find crawfish back home, but everything came out great anyway,” she says. “Everyone is still talking about that meal here.”

If this is your idea of the perfect New Orleans experience then make sure that you book your class today because some returning visitors book a month in advance. Frank Leo, general manager of the New Orleans School of Cooking, says there busiest days are hot or raining days when everyone is looking for a comfortable inside New Orleans experience in the Quarter.

Here is more information from the Hotel Monteleone on the New Orleans School of Cooking.

A quarter of an hour brought us to the levee on the other side. I ascended the bank and across the road directly in front of me appeared a carriage gateway with wickets of wood painted white, extending up and down the road as far as the eye could see. An avenue aligned with trees led to the house, the porch of which was visible at the extremity of the lawn with clustering flowers clinging to the pillars supporting the veranda.

Remarkably this portrait of the grand plantation is with us still. Houmas House the Sugar Palace of John Burnside is a rare treasure capturing an extraordinary epic in time. Tucked inside are the secrets, desires and often the conflict whims of four centuries of owners. Like an exotic dancer wrapped in veils, she twirls through time peeling back layers of architectural embellishments. Ornamentation appears and disappears. Current poses and figure fluctuates wildly cast aside like an outdated frock in the 1940′s. In the roaring 20′s her curved midsection is an integral part of the “Tue ta soum.” Between 1830 and 1880 two separate dwellings display a posing styles. In 1825 such immense grandeur is nowhere in evidence. The delicate silhouette of the front house is a west indies flare. Slender colonettes support a hipped roof with cabanas inclosing the gallery. The 1805 profile of the of the front house presents an even snugger fit. A mere three rooms of stucco covered bousage, mud and moss. 1775 is a good year for the stocky brick colonial. She has no rivals for her commanding view of the river. Yet even before these brick and mortar make history. Before the land grants, the claims and counter claims, before the arrival of French explorers, South Carolina planters, the importation of slaves, sugar cane fields and one notable Irishman, this fertile land is home to a thriving native American community. The French call it “La Grande Houmas” to distinguish it from the smaller “Petite Houmas.”

It is situated in level country. The houses and cabins surround a larger open space. The number 60 which may contain 200 men or warriors. This Houmas nation busies itself at raising chickens and in the culture of nays and beans. Bernard De Laharpe

The Houma people are among the first families of the land but their lives are soon radically altered. After landing at the mouth of the Mississippi in 1682 Renee Ober Colvale sur De La Salle claims all of the territory drained by the fathers of waters for France. Eger to discover the riches of the new world French explorers and settlers make their way to a great sweeping curve in the river, guarding the entrance to the land of the Houmas.

Prominent of these new arrivals is fur trader Joseph Lapalme. Lapalme quickly establishes a trading post among the Houmas. It serves as a thriving gateway for commerce to the west. The 1720 census reflects this newly diversified settlements of French and native peoples. In 1758 French territorial governor Louis De Celarec reaffirms the strategic importance of the red nation, the Houmas.

This nation is still able to flourish about 60 men to bare arms and it is only 22 leagues above New Orleans. In an advanced post and barrier against our enemies the Houmas are treated with much consideration.

Five years later the tribe status is in jeopardy with the signing of the secret treaty of Fountainblue, New Orleans and the territory west of the Mississippi including prime Houma hunting grounds are given to king Carlos of Spain. While the 1763 treaty of Paris seats control the main Houma village of England.

On October 5th 1774 the fate of the Houmas people is sealed. Appearing before New Orleans notary Andres Armesto, Carlobi a metal chief of the Houmas and business partners Alexander Latiel and Mares Conwan, in exchange for a $150 of trade goods, pots, pistols, powder, knives, mirrors, shirts, sugar and salt. Carlobi relinquishes rights to tribal land on the east bank of the river. In the aftermath of the transactions many Houmas begin there last southern migration crossing the river and fanning out along the bayous of south Louisiana. Back at the site of the former Houmas village. New property owner Alexander Lastiel settles into his two story brick home but by 1775 Latiel eager to move on sells his shares in the joint venture back to Conway. Conway in turn successfully petitions Spanish Governor Unzaga for access to prime cypress timberlands to the rear of the original grant.

The economic potential of this enormous 188,216 acre track stretching from the river to the back swamps attracts a parade of land speculators and inspectors. Disputes over title of the property collectively known as the Houmas claim become embroiled in two congressional investigations culminating in the longest legal battle in American jurisprudence.

Shortly after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 two Americans take up residence. History does not record why John Red Scott and William Donaldson built a new timber framed Creole cottage almost on top of the original 1775 brick dwelling but from these humble habitats Houmas house is born. Also getting in on the act, land barren Daniel Clark cultivates the new cash crop of sugar cane on his parcel of Houma lands. In 1806 Clark erects one of the first sugar mills along this stretch of the Mississippi. The year 1811 marks another dramatic changing of the guard as a south Carolina dynasty begins its reign.

General Hampton has bought Mr. Clarks vast possessions, the Houmas, with all the Negros Mr. Clark has. The General means to bring in four hundred workers to the country. I have been to the Houmas on negotiations and just returned to forte Adams, Daniel C Holiday.

The general is regarded by most as the wealthiest man in the united states. There are enormous profits resulting from the culture of sugar. A good planter may produce annually 120,000 pounds of raw sugar and 120 hogs heads or barrels of syrup. Fact indisputable fact, William S Hamilton aide-de-camp. But it is the Generals son, horse fancier, Coronel Wade Hampton the second who has the greatest impact on the families Louisiana holdings. Between 1817 and 1826, the dashing Wade Jr, a bridge builder by training makes extensive improvements, additions and embellishments to the house at the Houmas. Transforming the west Indies style cottage into the classic revival mansion of today. When the General dies in February of 1835 he leaves an estate of over 1 million 600 thousand dollars to his children. Including son wade and daughter Susan Francis and Caroline Martha Hampton. In 1840 Caroline together with her husband John Smith Preston journey to Louisiana. The couple arrives to oversee the vast family sugar plantations at the Houmas on the east bank and Houmas point on the west bank of the river. The Preston’s setup up formal housekeeping in the elegant mansion designed by Carolinas brother but their south Carolina roots run deep. The Preston’s are never completely at home in Creole Louisiana. In 1848 the Preston’s along with their children leave Houmas house returning to the Hampton family compound in Columbia South Carolina. The Hampton heirs divest themselves entirely of their Louisiana lands selling to Irishman John Burnside a self made millionaire revivals in opulent displays Houmas House is to be his show place. Burnside spares no expense on the magnificent decor. Like today, ceiling frescos and murals with exotic animals living the Grande center hall. Brilliant colors adorn the walls as crystal chandeliers, guilt mirrors, marble mantels and the finest imported furniture set the stage. Every available space is filled with intricate pieces designed to surprise and delight a steady stream of prominent guests.

In the early morning a stranger in a southern planters house may expect the offer of a glass full of brandy, sugar and a peppermint beneath an island of ice. An obligatory panacea for the evils of the climate. On one occasion Palmpa brought up a mint julep number 3. The acceptance of which he enforced by the emphatic deterioration master says, “Sir you better take this because it will be the last he will make before breakfast.”

For the next two decades as sugar cane fuels his fortune and sweetens his lifestyle. Houmas house under John Burnside is apply dubbed the Sugar Palace. During the Civil War Burnside saves Houmas House from Union Forces with a bluff, claiming British citizenship and immunity from occupation. This successful merchant also spends a large portion of time at Burnside place, his villa in the fashionable garden district of New Orleans. A pone his death Burnside’s mercurial rise from impoverished immigrant to sugar barren is well noted.

The deceased was born in Ireland and came to this country as a mere boy with 1 dollar and 25 cents in his pocket. He found employment with Andrew Berne who made Mr. Burnside a partner with his son Colonel Oliver Berne. At the time of his death Mr. Burnside owned 10 of the most valuable plantations in Louisiana. The Monroe Watchman, July 7th 1881.

Sold by the paper that Mr. Burnside had left his whole fortune to Mr. Berne between five million and six million dollars, God help the poor Mr. Berne. Give me neither poverty nor riches oh lord. William Porcher Miles, July 13 1881.

Oliver Berne out lives his friend business partner and benefactor by a scant 7 years, barely long enough to long enough to sort out Burnsides vast plantation holdings. Unlike Burnside Oliver Berne marries and has children. In 1881 Berne bequeaths the spacious house at the Houmas to his daughter Elizabeth and son in law William Porcher Miles.

Through his marriage, to his beloved and charming Betty, Miles a scholarly and shroud business man, successfully oversees the growth of the Burnside Berne’s fortune. The Miles planting and manufacturing company produces upwards to 20 million pounds of sugar a year. Miles’s son Doctor William Porcher Miles Jr follows in his father’s footsteps managing the family business until the bottom drops out of the sugar market in the years leading up to WW I.

The Great Depression, levee setbacks, floods, a new river road and modern industrial complexes making inroad his neighbors all take their toll. Despite these upheavals the Miles family continued to live in their cherished family home. While born of the traditions of many cultures French, Spanish, English and Irish, the Houmas House still honors the name of the first inhabitants of the land. Their spirits mingle with the many families who have made Houmas House their own.

Today the splendor of the Sugar Palace lives on. Your host, a 21st century Irishman pays tribute to his 19th century predecessor sugar barren John Burnside with this magnificent restoration. Here surrounded by lush tropical gardens and a majestic avenue of ancient moss draped oaks, we invite you to savoir the mystique of southern living at its finest. Welcome to Houmas House! The crown jewel of the great Mississippi river road.

Read Hotel Monteleone’s Review on Houmas House Plantation

When I was a kid in school, I was put into the talented art programs in the public school system. You had to be screened and sponsored by a teacher to be apart of this curriculum. My favorite part about my art education at a young age was taking field trips to the Contemporary Arts Center in the Warehouse district in New Orleans. It was always a magical experience because it seemed like we took a trip to New York and we were experiencing an older and more sophisticated event. Every time I would walk into the building I knew that I was somewhere special. I don’t really remember much of the art on display but I do remember the smells of the center and the size of its galleries. I also remember all of the educational shows that they put on in the theater. The CAC is the perfect place to not only experience the warehouse district but to also see some local art or to attend an event and learn about the New Orleans history through its art. The CAC is definitely a must see attraction in New Orleans.

I recommend visiting the CAC not only for the local art but for the architecture of the building itself. This building really represents the heart of the warehouse district. It is also more than a hundred years old and the building is full of the history of the city. My other favorite part about this area of town is that the D-Day museum and theater is just around the corner. So you have a full day of stuff to see that will blow your mind. I recommend getting into this area early because there is more than a days worth of stuff to see. You can take the streetcar from any direction in the city to get into this area.

I recommend that you read the Hotel Monteleone’s review of the Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans.

When you you think of sights you want to see and tours you would like to take in New Orleans, you may not think of the possibility of venturing into some of the oldest homes in the city. Not only are they historical, but the meticulous restoration process on these homes is like no other in the city.

Hermann-Grima House and Gallier House are located in the French Quarter and are a must see for anyone into the history and lifestyles of authentic, 19th Century New Orlean’s Creoles. Hermann-Grima was built in 1831 and Gallier House was built in 1857.

Hermann-Grima House has a beautiful courtyard garden and the only horse stable in the French Quarter. One of the most spectacular parts, is the only functional 1830’s outdoor kitchens. Every Thursday from October through May, the Hermann-Grima House demonstrates food preparation and cooking methods in this kitchen. Their trained cooks use traditional recipes and techniques to prepare menus with appropriate seasonal ingredients. Visitors also learn about the development of the city’s distinctive cuisine – a blend of French, Spanish, African, and Native American cultural influences.

The museum complex restored the lifestyle of a prosperous Creole family from 1830-1860. Explore what life would be like without electricity, air conditioning, plumbing, and computers. This general program discusses life in 19th-century New Orleans contrasting it with the 21st century. Topics include slavery, architecture, the research/restoration process, entertainments, education, health, hygiene, food ways, and dining.

Different months provide different settings. On October 15, 1850, Mrs. Albert Grima died at the age of 96. During the month of October, the museum is transformed to reflect the funeral and mourning customs of this time period. Also, during December Hermann-Grima House decorates for the season. You can learn about a typical Creole Christmas and discover the origins of Santa Claus, Christmas trees, stockings, gift giving, and New Year’s celebrations.

James Gallier was a prominent architect during the mid- 19th century. He designed and built the Victorian Gallier House. This house has a carriageway and restored slave quarters.

They hold tours from the point of view of the slaves of that time. The arrival of African-Americans and Afro-Creoles into Louisiana will be discussed leading up to their role in 19th-century New Orleans and their specific roles at the Hermann-Grima and/or Gallier Historic House. Over time, they gathered family letters, wills, and bills of sale. Also they obtained old runaway slave ads. From these documents they have more incite to the relationships between the Creole families, their slaves, and the free people of color living on the property.

Read the Hotel Monteleone’s review of the Hermann Grima Gallier Historic Homes.

If you are visiting the city of New Orleans and you would like to experience an authentic southern plantation pre-civil war then the San Francisco Plantation should be on your list. It is only 30-40 minutes from downtown and it is on the Mississippi river. The history of the plantation, like all plantations, is thick and laced with tragedy. The owner was a “free man of color” and his wife and six out of his eight children died of tuberculosis. When the owner passed, one of his two surviving sons Valsin’s, moved back from Germany to take over the home. He and his German wife did not want to stay but were forced to because of the massive debt the home was in. This story does not end with a happy ending because Valsin later died of tuberculosis. The unusual name “San Francisco” is believed to be derived from Valsin’s comment about the extraordinary debt he was confronted with when taking over the estate. He declared he was sans fruscins or “without a penny in my pocket.” The name evolved into St. Frusquin and, in 1879, was changed into “San Francisco” by the next owner, Achille D. Bougère. I believe that they should of called it Tuberculosis Plantation because of the eight residence who died of it. There is also a story that Valsin’s children both died in the home, one may have falling down the stairs. This is why the house is said to be haunted!

The San Fransico Plantation is the only authentically restored plantation in Louisiana and it is on the Mississippi river. This is a rarity because in 1932 the Army Corps of Engineers finished building the levee system and destroyed many historic Plantations that were built on the river bank. Thanks to local residents who lobbied the Louisiana legislature to pass a measure that would save as many plantations along the River Road as possible. The Army Corps of Engineers moved the levee around the Plantation to protect it and the land from flooding.

The only negative of the Plantation is the surrounding area has a lot of industrial buildings for the shipping business. I recommend that you read the Hotel Monteleone’s review of the San Francisco Plantation.

The English Turn in New Orleans is more than just a golf course to me. It is a little diamond in the rough, no pun intended. Ok, I didn’t realize the pun until I said it and now I want it to be intended. Anyways, I first visited the English turn when I was a kid. My Dad would always tell me about going to Pro-Ams with his father and watching the greats like Jack Nicholas and Jim Palmer. He made it sound so special that I couldn’t wait for the day that I got to have the experience. He finally took me to a Pro-Am where Jack Nicholas was playing who had just designed the English Turn course. I have to say that it was a fun experience but going to a Major League Baseball game had a bigger impact on me than Pro Golf. What still sits in my memory today about that time at the English Turn was the beauty of the course. I was use to playing golf on small courses and when I saw the English Turn I thought I was in Augusta. Today it is still an amazing course to see.

A bigger and stronger memory for me at the English Turn happened a little over two years ago. I have done some extra work on films here in New Orleans. I like the film business but wish I had better connections. I was asked to work as an extra on a film called, “I Love you Phillip Morris.” The main character is Jim Carey and I grew up a big fan of his comedy and movies. We I heard that I would get to be an extra on a film that he was working on, I signed up. I will never forget. It was a black tie affair that they where shooting and I was a party goer in a black tie. Well, all the extras had been sitting on set for about 6 hours and I was mingling with the same three people for that 6 hours. I got to know these 3 guys pretty well. The event was supposed to be a party for a big Texas corporation and Jim Carey was supposed to mingle up to us before he stepped over to the camera and shot a short scene. When I first learned of this I was really excited because my expectations was that of being one of six hundred extras in a stadium shot with Jim Carey in the distance. I never expected that I would be the closest person to the speaking characters near the camera. I also never expected what is just about to happen. Like I said we were sitting there waiting for lights, camera, action and all of a sudden, not paying attention, someone steps up next to me and joins in the conversation. It was Jim Carey. I was officially star struck. This was because you do not expect to see someone you have always seen on TV or in the movies right next to you. It was awesome and I got to spend the next few days working close to him. He works hard and he is a lot of fun on set.

The English Turn in New Orleans has been a very popular place for Hollywood to shoot films. This is because it is secluded from the city and it is amazing. Lots of land and beautiful homes and buildings. If you are visiting the city and want to get a understanding of the south outside of the city then this would be a great place to see.

For more information I recommend reading the Hotel Monteleone’s review of the English Turn Golf & Country Club.

Musee Conti Wax Museum New Orleans

This is a great first stop for visitors of the French Quarter. Most people who come to the city from out of town want to learn the thick history of this land. I would highly recommend the WAX museum because it is a fun and exciting way to learn the stories of our history.

New Orleans history is very intense. It is a significant figure in the beginning of America. The most fascinating piece of New Orleans History that I learned was that of the plans of Napoleon Bonaparte before the Louisiana Purchase. To make a long story short Napoleon was planning to take control of New Orleans and claim it as New France. He then would conquer the rest of the country as New France in the 1800′s. What stopped him was pure luck. Thomas Jefferson had no idea that Napoleon had these plans but he did send over his top negotiator Robert Livingston to buy New Orleans from the French. The luck that saved America from Napoleon was yellow fever. Napoleon had sent thousands of his troops along with his best commanders to take over the Caribbean island Santo Domingo and use the slaves and position to conquer New Orleans. When Napoleon’s army landed in Santo Domingo they met an angry population of people and the yellow fever. This was enough to devastate his army and force Napoleon to release New Orleans. Livingston just happened to be in the right place at the right time and bought, not just New Orleans from Napoleon and the French, but all of the land from New Orleans to Canada for 15 million dollars.

This story fascinated me when I first learned of it because it illustrates how significant New Orleans is to American History. To learn more great history from our great city head on over to the WAX Museum and take a tour. You will not be disappointed. Don’t be one of those visitors who comes here and doesn’t learn the history. I couldn’t imagine visiting New Orleans for the first or second time without learning some of its history.

For more information read the Hotel Monteleone’s review of the Musee Conti Wax Museum New Orleans!

Michael Jackson at the Musee Conti Wax Museum